Gymnastics Examiner:
Peter Vidmar will not be chef de mission at the London Olympic Games after all.
The U.S. Olympic Committee announced Friday that Vidmar had resigned from the post after his anti-gay marriage beliefs drew negative attention from athletes and gay rights activists. …
Vidmar, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has participated in anti-gay marriage demonstrations and given money to groups that worked in support of Proposition 8, which ended gay couples’ rights to marry in California in 2008. …
In the comments on this site I defended Vidmar’s selection, … while disagreeing with his lobbying for Proposition 8.
I said he could still be an effective Chef.
… Obviously Peter disagrees with me.
Vidmar:
“I have dedicated my life to the Olympic Movement and the ideals of excellence, friendship and respect,” Vidmar said in a press release issued Friday by the U.S. Olympic committee. “I wish that my personal religious beliefs would not have become a distraction from the amazing things that are happening in the Olympic Movement in the United States. I simply cannot have my presence become a detriment to the U.S. Olympic family. I hope that by stepping aside, the athletes and their stories will rightly take center stage.”
Vidmar’s replacement has not been named.
Gymnastics Examiner – Peter Vidmar out as Chef de Mission for London Olympics
In fact, I saw Peter earlier today at J.O. Nationals and hoped to congratulate him. But he was on the phone. Something serious.
Some have noted that Canadian Chef de Mission Mark Tewksbury is openly gay, and is a prominent advocate.
Tewksbury is a great fit for the role of Chef, too. (He spoke once at our Gym club. Very inspirational.) … But I don’t see how Mark’s sexual orientation makes him any better a candidate for the job than Vidmar.
Sport is sport.
The Olympic Charter states:
Any form of discrimination with regard to a country or a person on grounds of race, religion, politics, gender or otherwise is incompatible with belonging to the Olympic Movement.
Would Vidmar have discriminated against anyone on the U.S. Team?
Will Tewksbury better defend those on the Canadian Team?
No and no.
… Please leave a comment if you have a new point to add.
Gymnastics Coaching.com 